The present invention relates to a disposable sharp instrument container, and more particularly to a sharp instrument container for receiving potentially injurious or contaminated utensils such as syringes, hypodermic needles, scalpel blades and other utensils.
A need has developed for a container which can store devices such as syringes, sutures, hypodermic needles, scalpel blades and other utensils after use to eliminate the risks of exposing individuals to various diseases such as Hepatitis V or HIV, the virus which leads to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). These and other diseases may be transmitted to individuals who are poked or cut by a contaminated sharp medical utensil. Due to the hectic conditions often present in hospitals and other medical facilities, used sharp medical utensils can often be found laying about in the present of patients, doctors, nurses and other medical personnel. By providing a transportable sharp medical container, these used sharp medical utensils can be deposited immediately after use to reduce the likelihood of exposure to patients, doctors, nurses and other medical personnel.
Many containers having one or more flaps which cover the containment area are known in the art. Predominately, problems occur with these containers wherein the soiled sharp medical utensils gets stuck between the flaps during insertion into the container. This creates a risk of injury to the medical personnel while attempting to store the used sharp medical utensil.
In addition, the presently known sharp medical utensil containers generally are not provided with sufficient means of limiting lateral movement of the sharp medical utensil as it is being inserted into the sharp medical utensil container.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a sharp medical utensil container having flaps which can be flexed easily to provide access to the containment area and which minimizes the possibility of the sharp medical utensil getting stuck between the flaps as it is being inserted into the container.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a container which has guide means for limiting lateral movement of the sharp medical utensil as it is being inserted into the sharp medical utensil container.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a container which is reusable after being sterilized.
Other advantages and features will become apparent from the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.